Prince and Servant, is that all we'll ever be?
by JennnyJ
Summary: With Gaius out of town, Merlin takes the opportunity to borrow the old man’s cauldrons and ingredients to see how well he can use his powers in potion ways, but when both he and Arthur accidentally drinks the liquid, strange things are bound to happen!
1. Chapter 1

_Hi everyone! This is my first Merlin ff ever written, and, I surprise myself by writing it in English! (My natural language is Swedish..) I think this story will be about 3-4 chapters long and it might take a while between my updates, writing everything in a different language than you're used to take its time! But I hope you'll enjoy it.  
/JvJ_

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**The Prince and his Servant, is that all we'll ever be?**

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"_Mer_lin"  
As usually, the blond crown prince walked into the room without even a knock on the door as warning – a gesture that made his raven haired servant jump of surprise before he, a little bit panicked, tried to cover-up what he was doing.  
Gaius had been out checking some of his patients outside the village when the great snowstorm arrived, so he'd sent a letter where he told him that he had been offered a bed for the night and that he, Merlin, shouldn't worry about him – as soon as the storm faded away, he would came straight home again. (And do we have to mention that the old court physician also told his young nephew to do no magic meanwhile he wasn't there to look after him?)  
So Merlin, quite happy to be alone for a while, had taken advantage of the opportunity to borrow the old man's cauldrons and ingredients to see how well he could use his powers in potion ways, ignoring the warning words of his uncle.

"What _are_ you doing?"  
Arthur stretched out his neck so that he could look over his servants shoulder and down into the cauldron where a dark, chocolate looking, liquid were boiling.  
"Oh, _how sweet_ – you are preparing me some hot chocolate in this bloody nonstop-winter storm", the prince smirked, his eyebrows playfully raised, "now get your cooking bottom in to your room and get yourself a coat – you're going out, you'll fetch me some more wood – it's freezing in my chambers."  
"_But sire –"_, grumbled Merlin, but a sharp look from the prince made him turn around and walk into his small bedroom, hoping that the prince would follow without giving his potion any further look – any suspicious magic-look over it and it would be _his_ head on the Christmas plates instead of the big Christmas pig.  
He swallowed nervously, knowing that Gaius wouldn't be too pleased with him when he came back and found a whole cauldron filled with a magic potion – that had also happened to be seen by the crown prince himself.  
Actually, he admitted to himself, he had _no idea_ about how the potion worked ore if it even was magical – all he had done was to follow his instincts, and to be true, his instincts weren't always leading him where he'd meant to. So, there was a tiny, tiny chance that Gaius wouldn't notice anything.

He got his warmest coat around his shoulders and left the room, noticing that Arthur were lending over one of Gaius old books and by the look of it he was reading.  
"Oh, I didn't know you liked reading", Merlin said with a nervously smile, noticing his magic book laying among the other books on the desk.  
"Well, as future king of Camelot – I have to. But really Merlin, you shouldn't be cooking – you really suck."  
It was first when the prince turned around that Merlin noticed the cup in the blond boy's hand, a frail smoke still rising from the chocolate colored liquid.  
"You've – you've tasted it?" Merlin shouted out, his eyes wide open, "But –"  
"Well, you've cooked it for me? Right?" Arthur raised a small eyebrow, "Ore was it maybe for the lady Morgana?"  
The prince laughed, his blue eyes shimmering with playfulness as he teased his raven-haired servant who started to blush.  
"No, sire, absolutely not!" Merlin objected, shaking his head so hard he thought it soon would fall off, "I mean – did you drink all of it? "  
"Cool down Fussy and get me some wood!" The prince said, still with a laugh in his dark voice, and placed the half-empty cup on the table, "and no – I didn't drink it all, it tasted terrible."  
Merlin couldn't stop a smile from taking place on his lips, it seemed as it was nothing magical at all about the potion. At least the prince still was his usual, teasing self.  
"As you wish", Merlin said and pushed the prince towards the doorway, "I'll be back before you miss me, I promise."  
"Hah!"

The prince headed back to his cold chambers and Merlin bravely walked out in the snowstorm to fetch the prince some more wood.  
"Merlin?" A bright voice cut through the storm and Merlin turned around, the snow pitching his face, making his ears, nose and cheeks' burn of cold.  
"Gwen? What are you doing out here?" He had almost reached the woods, leaving the castle behind him. The young maidservant was walking with her yellow coat tightly wrapped around her shoulders, read nosed and with her breath as a white smoke from her mouth.  
"My lady needs more wood, she still got that nasty cold, and with Gaius out of town I have to do everything I can making her fever go away." She sneezed, but smiled bravely.  
"Oh, but I can do that – cut some wood I mean, you go and make sure that the lady Morgana is all right", Merlin said with a smile, "If you want, you can go and get some of that rosemary-thing that Gaius have and then I'll come to lady Morgana's chambers with the wood."  
"That would be lovely Merlin, absolutely lovely", Gwen smiled and her eyes were shining of the truth in her words, "If you want, I can prepare something hot to drink when you come back, as returning a favor I mean".  
"Thanks Gwen, that sounds good", Merlin said with a frozen smile, his feet hurting by the cold.  
"Yea, then I'll see you soon", the dark-haired maidservant said and returned back to the castle, Merlin looked after her for a while but then, he kept going for the woods – knowing that it wouldn't take so long for him to fetch some wood if he just used his powers. He could be safe outside here, who would be stupid enough to go out in this bloody snowstorm, but loyal servants?

Back at the castle, Merlin first went back to his chambers, his cold body longing for something hot to drink. He almost walked straight into Gwen, who precisely opened the door to the physician's chambers, and both of them smiled openly.  
"Hi, I've warmed something for you", she went back to one of Gaius desks and fetched him some chocolate. Merlin smiled and thanked her, the hot cup slowly warming his cold hands.  
She watched him with a smile when he raised the cup to his lips, he tasted the drink and tried not grimacing - it tasted _awful_.  
"Mmh, Gwen", he said with a frail smile, trying not to upset the girl "it tasted lovely".

"Oh, I hope so – I found a whole cauldron of it over there, thought that maybe it was something that Gaius had left for you?" She said, heading for the door, "You'll come by with the wood later?"  
Merlin didn't listen, he stared at the chocolate-looking liquid in the cup he was holding and a bad feeling crawled up at the back of his neck.  
"Merlin, are you all right?" Gwen's worried voice made him come back to reality and he smiled falsely, nodding without looking at her.  
"I'll come by later with the wood, yes", he said and didn't even notice that the young maidservant already had left the room.  
This _couldn't_ lead to anything good.

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_Now be sweet and leave a review about this chapter, or I'll turn you in to Uther and he'll chop your head of. *mad laugh*_


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi everyone! I'm so happy for all of your wonderful reviews - you can't imagining how thrilled I was when I saw that I'd got five comments, and all at the same day? (compared to the swedes, you guys are so much better at this leave a review thing!) Here comes a short, short chapter just so I can get started with the real story.  
Hope you like it - and please, do leave a review!**

_

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The Prince and his servant - is that all we'll ever be?_

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The day passed by and nothing strange seemed to happen, even thought, Merlin still had this bad feeling that something wasn't quite alright – it was just a matter of time before something would happen, he was assured of it.  
"You've been very silent today, Merlin", Arthur pointed as he sat in his big throne-looking chair, watching his servant as he cleaned his boots. "Don't tell me you've also got that nasty cold! Believe me, one day I'll wake up and find that no one's there to serve me because the whole kingdom has got the same cold - and that won't simply do."  
Merlin smiled lightly but kept silent – he didn't feel for talking.  
He actually enjoyed the silent between him and Arthur; somehow it was like the gap between them didn't exist. When they were silent, there were no prince and no servant.  
Then, it just was Arthur and Merlin.

"Oh come on Merlin!" Arthur sighted, rolling his blue eyes, "you've never been this boring – not even when you decided not to say a word to me for a whole day except from the usual; Yes, sire. No, sire. Maybe, sire. What was it that you'd been told to get if you succeeded?"  
Merlin blushed slightly, knowing that both he and Arthur knew very well what that betting was all about.  
"What was it now, a kiss from the kitchen girl?" He teased, laughing as the redness deepened on Merlin's cheeks. "Miona, isn't it?"  
"Oh shut up!" Merlin muttered and did his best to keep the serious face of his.

"Finally! He talks!" Arthur rose up from his chair with a broad smile on his lips, "Now when we are at the subject, how is it going with you two?"  
Merlin shocked his head, suddenly feeling tired. A pair of deep, dark eyes appeared in front of his gaze and he felt his heart shrink, tears bursting up in the corner of his eyes.  
"I don't like her", he whispered, concentrating on the pair of boots in his hands, "not anymore."  
"Oh, what did she do? Tease you about your ears?"  
Merlin sighted.  
"No", the short answer came from the dark-haired servant. "And actually - It's none of your business."  
"Come on Merlin!"  
Arthur sat beside him with an almost friendly look in his blue eyes.  
"Nothing – it's nothing."  
The prince opened his mouth to say something but Merlin rose from the floor.  
"I'm done, if you have nothing else you want me to do I'd like to return to my chambers", he said with a thick voice, trying not to meet the prince's look.  
"Okay, but don't think I'll let the subject slip away – tomorrow I expect an inclusive story about you and your dearest. You've no idea how boring it is, sitting here all day – not able to train, hunt or do anything of use because of this bloody snow!"  
"Well, you could always try being a servant", Merlin said with a halfhearted laugh and stepped out of the door, leaving the prince were he sat on the cold stone floor with a worried wrinkle amid his both eyebrows.

_What the boy's did not know was that meanwhile Arthur wished to be nothing more than a simple servant, Merlin wished to be someone who people respected, someone who had no secrets – someone like Arthur._

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**Leave a long, constructive review and I might not send Nimue after you!**_  
/JvJ_


	3. Chapter 3

_Hi everyone! I feel like tap dancing every time I see that you've left a review on this story – cause actually, I never believed someone would actually read it!_  
_Tomorrow its school and I felt like cheering you guys up with a new chapter. The plot thickens, I can assure you, and I hope you'll like this one because I've ignored a lot of homework to get this done today._  
_So, please leave a review when you've read?_

_

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_**The Prince and his servant - is that all we'll ever be?**

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Merlin groaned as he turned around in his bed. The first thing he noticed as he woke up this morning was a terrible headache – it felt like someone had beaten him really hard in the back of his head with a frying pan.  
The second thing he noticed was that the bed he was laying in was strangely soft and the room was surprisingly warm for being his little chamber above the cold cellars.  
Suddenly, stroked by a bad feeling, he sat straight up and looked around.  
As he thought – he wasn't in his room. This room was too big, it had more windows than he was used to and the furniture's were absolutely not his; they actually looked strangely like Arthurs.  
_Arthur!_

The thought hit him harder than any frying pan in the whole kingdom could ever do – he was in Arthur's room! But where was the prince?  
Merlin sprinted out of the bed, didn't even give himself time to change from his new, remarkable soft nightclothes to his ordinary ones – he needed to se Arthur, this couldn't be good.  
As he stepped out of the door, he almost walked straight into Gwen who was just about to knock on the door.  
She blushed when she noticed that he still wore his nightdress and slightly turned her head away.  
"Oh, I'm _so_ sorry, sire!" She started to stumble and tried to look everywhere accept on Merlin. "I just thought-"  
"I'm really sorry Gwen, but can you hold that thought?" Merlin smiled slightly, gave her a friendly clap on her shoulder and then sprinted down the hallway. It was an odd idea, but if he had woken up in the prince's room, perhaps then he could find the prince in _his_ room.

As he made his way towards Gaius's place, he noticed the strange looks he received from the other servants, but he really didn't have the time to think more of that.  
He had to find Arthur before he woke up, he needed to understand what happened – because he had absolutely no memory of falling asleep in _Arthur's_ bed.  
The thought of him, sleeping in his master's bed, seemed so comic – so irrational – that it made him burst into laughter just as he reached Gaius's door.  
He took a deep, calming breath, straightened his face and slammed the door open. There, he sprinted the few steps over to his bedroom door and carefully, holding his breath, Merlin opened the door.  
In his bed he saw a figure resting underneath his thick, itching blankets. The person, who Merlin's sixth sense told him was Arthur, was still asleep.

"Arthur?"  
He stepped closer; the person in the bed groaned and pulled the blankets over his head like a stubborn child. Well, It was Arthur all right.  
"It's time to go up –", Merlin stopped speaking as he heard his own voice – it was something strange about it. It seemed darker, no longer so Merlin-like as it used to.  
_Perhaps I've got that nasty cold, too._  
"_Mer_lin, how does it come that you can be _so _annoying this early in the morning? And why is it so damn cold in here – haven't you started the fire yet?" Arthur groaned and sat up in his bed to glare at his servant.  
Merlin's mouth popped open as their eyes met. Arthur's face froze as if he didn't believe what his eyes showed him.

With a bad feeling in his stomach, Merlin run over to a pail of water, afraid of what he would se.  
He bent forward to see the reflection of his face in the water and what he saw almost made his eye's squeeze out of their sockets;  
The eyes he met was frosty blue and his halme blond hair, very much like Arthur's, was a heavy mess.  
"Merlin, why is it that you look exactly like me? And were the heck am I?"

Arthur's voice, which actually didn't sound like his usual, broke the silent and Merlin looked up just to get the feeling of gazing into a mirror.  
"You're in my chambers", Merlin said and walked pass the room with the pail of water in his hands, "and, well – I probably should show you."  
Arthur stretched his neck so that he also could see his reflection in the water, his eyelids wide open.  
"I – I look like _you_!" He shouted, grabbing his, well technically Merlin's, ears. "Oh my God – this is _not_ good!"  
_'That bloody chocolate – I knew it was something magical about it!_' Merlin thought and a feeling of wanting to smash his own head into a wall fell over him.

Suddenly, the scared and surprised expression in the prince's face exchanged to anger and he rose from the bed, dressed in Merlin's uncomfortable nightclothes.  
"We've got to see the king Merlin, someone has cast a spell over us and we have to find the sorcerer and kill him – or else we might be stuck like _this_ forever!"  
Arthur walked pass the room with Merlin right behind him, thinking as fast as he ever could.  
"But sire – I don't think that such a good idea", Merlin started when they stood in the middle of Gaius's room, the prince spun around and glared at him.  
"I know you might look as me right now Merlin, but do you not dare to question my doing – I won't be you for another minute!" He swung out his hand and accidently hit the cauldron which was still filled with the potion.  
The cauldron began to move sideways and, as if it happened in slow-motion, it started to fall.

Merlin took a step forward, raised his hand as if using his powers – but it was Arthur's eyes which sparkled of gold and the cauldron stopped in the middle of air.  
Chock marked the prince's face and as the concentration fell, so did the cauldron.  
The magical liquid spread over the stone floor and the both boys stood there and watched as the miniature pond grew wider.  
"Merlin, what exactly was _that_?" Arthur asked and turned to Merlin who stared at him with fear in his big, blue eyes.  
"Did I – I mean _you_ – just do something _magical_?"

"Arthur – I can explain", Merlin began but the door slammed open and one of the knights of Camelot entered.  
"Sire, you might get dressed – the king's meeting is about to start and he has asked for you", he said and Merlin twisted his hand anxiously when he understood that the knight was talking to _him_.  
"Umh – yes, I'm coming!" He said, ignoring the angry look from the real Arthur.  
The knight nodded and left the room.  
"You are _not_ going to that meeting! Not until you've explained one thing and another", Arthur said with a low, warning voice.

"But Arthur, I must. Or else your father will go crazy – this is one of the first winter meetings, right? It's important that you – well, at least someone that looks like you – is there", Merlin spoke fast and nervous. "And if you walk with me there, as my servant, you can help me."  
"I will _not_ be your servant. This is so silly Merlin!" Arthur's voice grew frustrated and he bit his lips, as thinking over the situation.  
"Okay, until the meeting is over – I won't say a word about this magical thing. But after that, I want an explaining!"  
Merlin nodded slowly, "I think I owe you that."  
_And hopefully_, he added in his mind, _you won't hate me._

"Ah, Arthur – finally!" Uther greeted Merlin as he stepped into the crown room where nine men sat around a big stone table.  
"I'm sorry my king, for being so late, but here I am", Merlin answered and tried to make that typical Arthur-smile. The real Arthur sighted and took place behind Merlin as he sat down at the table – opposite to his father.  
"Well, now that you're here my son – the winter meeting can begin!" Uther declared and smiled to the other men around the table. Arthur noticed that at least four of them where kings of nearby kingdoms and guessed that the others were some important dukes and countess.  
"As you all might know, we've gathered here for one reason, and one reason only. Our common enemy –_magic_."  
Merlin stared at Arthur with panic in his eyes and Arthur slowly closed his eyelids – this wouldn't become easy.

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_Please tell me what you think of this story, because I'm dying to hear! Tell me every little thought of yours!_  
_And, if you've noticed any grammatical mistakes - please let me know!  
/Jenny_


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi everyone! I really hate that I can't express myself in English!  
Well, at least not as good as I can in Swedish... but, I'm glad that you like this story and hope that you'll continue reviewing,  
you have no idea how much you've helped me!  
(For example; we had a national test today, writing a letter in English, and I've learned a lot of new, cool words that I could use!)  
Enough talkning; Happy Reading.**  
_  


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__The Prince and his servant - is that all we'll ever be?_

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Merlin sat at the table with a tensed look in his face as he listened to the anger and distress in the lord's voices as they spoke about the illness witchcraft had brought to their lands.  
"Well prince Arthur, what do you think?" One of the dukes asked, watching the crown prince with a friendly smile on his lips.  
"Um – about what, sire?" Merlin asked foolish and Arthur who stood next to him looked as he wanted to slap the back of the boy's head as hard as possible.

"About this magic hunting – I believe you share your father's thoughts?"  
Merlin hesitated, all the important people around the table watched him with curiosity and for the first time since he arrived to Camelot – his thoughts really seemed to matter.  
_'Arthurs thoughts, you mean?_' His mind reminded him, _'It's not yours - Merlin's - thoughts they want to hear – It's Arthurs.'_  
But Merlin didn't listen at that ear.

"Well –", he stopped, met the king's cold eyes and bit his lip. Uther pulled his eyebrows together as he saw him hesitate, his lips formed a small line of dislike.  
"I –", Merlin continued, looking over his shoulder for some sort of sign from Arthur.  
The real prince gently shook his head and mimicked something about 'laying low'.  
Merlin felt like frowning – this was his only chance to say what he really thought, he simply couldn't let it pass by – perhaps this was the time to fulfill his destiny.

"I agree with him in many thoughts –", Merlin took a pause and thought about how he would put this. "But I don't want to judge people before giving them a chance to explain. Perhaps some use their powers for good – the only one we hear about is the bad doings of magic, but what about all those who risks their life's preventing bad things from happen?"  
He didn't spoke for the men in front of him, Merlin realized, but to the man behind him – he who as soon as they were back in their own bodies again probably would turn him in to his father.

Shock marked the faces of the nobles as the meaning of Merlin's words slowly sank in – Uther's eyes looked as if they would fall out of their sockets of anger.  
"If you gentlemen don't disagree; I'd like to end today's meeting – I want a word with my son", Uther said and his low voice was filled with so much cold that Merlin shuddered.  
The kings, dukes and countess nodded in a silent agreement as they rose from their chairs, curiosity emerged in their eyes as they looked from the father to the son.

"If you don't mind – I ask you all to leave us. Arthur's servant will show you to your chambers and I hope we'll meet at the winter feast this evening".  
Arthur who didn't want to miss anything of what was about to be said between his father and Merlin opened his mouth to protest - but a angry look from the king made him bit his lip and bow before he left the room with a last, concerned look back at his servant.

"You know what I want to say, don't you?" The king stood up and walked towards whom he thought was his son, but that actually was Merlin. No one but scared, anxious Merlin.  
"That I'm a big disappointment to you, my lord?" Merlin lowered his head and watched his hands as they slightly started to shiver. "I thought that I was meant to tell them what _I_ thought about magical people? And I do believe in justice."  
"This meeting is very important for the future of Camelot – if King Hubert and King Tarrant join us in the fight against magic, then we'll be safe. The people of Camelot will be safe. And I suspect that's what your heart most desire; the safety of your people?"

For a second, Merlin carefully shut his eyelids.  
Two wills were fighting within him –one that wanted him to tell Uther what he, _Merlin_, thought and the other one that wanted to say what Arthur would have said.  
"Of course my lord, I won't do the same mistake again", he finally answered with a low voice.  
The king seemed pleased with his answer and gave him a fatherly clap on his shoulder.

"Then I expect seeing you at the feast."  
It was no question – it was an establishment.  
"Yes – _father_", Merlin added and bowed before he tried to leave the room as calm as he could – even thought he felt more like running for his life.

"Arthur?"  
Gwen looked a bit worried as Merlin walked past her in the corridor.  
"Oh Gwen, I'm so sorry", He remembered their last meeting and smiled apologizing; "you know that thought I wanted you to hold – you may tell me all about it now."  
Gwen smiled and by the look of it; she was slightly blushing.  
"Oh, well, alright-", she said, gave him a fast, uncertain look before she opened her mouth again, "I wonder, now that my lady is sick-"

She stopped, turned her head as she heard the sound of feet's against solid floor and a broad smile lightened up her face as she saw who it was.  
"Merlin! Thank you so much for the wood, the lady Morgana is feeling much better already."  
The real Merlin spun around as he saw himself walk towards them with his head held high in the air in a no-servant like manner.

Arthur smiled as he saw Gwen and bowed lightly.  
"My pleasure, Guinevere", he said with warmth in his voice and then turned to Merlin. "I'm sorry, _my lord_, but might I have the _pleasure_ talking to you?"  
Merlin hesitated; he didn't want to know what feelings were hiding beneath the calm, almost friendly voice. He could see a depth in his own pair of dark eyes, a seriousness that he knew all too well.

Beneath the calm surface, a storm was hiding.  
"I'm sorry Gwen, but I have to go." Merlin smiled and the maidservant nodded. "Please, I _do_ want to know what you were about to say, never think I don't value your thoughts."  
Guinevere blushed and curtseyed, "thank you my prince."  
The real Arthur's lips was drawn to a small line as he watched them and when Merlin came nearer, he grabbed his arm and lead him toward his chambers, ignoring the odd looks Gwen sent him.

"What was that with Guinevere?" Arthur almost shouted as Merlin closed the door behind them. The prince took a deep, calming breath and then glared at his servant, "never mind that, you have things to explain."  
Merlin stared at him, for a moment stunned, "so you are really letting me explain? You're not going to start yelling at me?"

"Not yet", was the prince's only words as he sank down in his thrown-looking chair. For a moment, Merlin thought about yesterday, when he and Arthur had been standing exactly there – then, he would not know that his revealing would come so soon – nor did he knew then that it was like this it'd happen.  
"Well, I think it's best if I take it from the beginning then", Merlin declared and sank down in the chair opposite to Arthur.

How odd he thought it was, sitting here in the chambers of his master. Not even in the body of his own - trying to find words to explain how he became who he was; how he became the boy that right now was sitting opposite to him with seriousness in his eyes that didn't suit his kind off childish look.

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******Please let me know what you think about this new chapter and story! And, as always, I appreciate if you'd like to check my grammar.**  
**/Jenny**


	5. Chapter 5

_Okay, this chapter didn't really come out as I wanted it, the characters might be a bit OC, but I've done my very best. (And you have no idea how proud I am of myself, I haven't written this much in a long, long time - and now I do it in English!) I really _**_love_**_ your comments and I suppose it's because of them I'm still writing on this thing. Writing in English make this whole story so much difficult to write, it never take the same turns as I want it to but I'm doing my very best. __  
__Oh, I might tell you that this story takes place sometime in the middle of season 2, after Freya and before Morgana is turning eeeevil._  
_Hugs, JennnyJ  
_  
_

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_**The Prince and his servant - is that all we'll ever be?**

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"And then I woke up in your bed", Merlin finished his story with a low voice, his head lowered as he watched his hands nervously pocking with one of the royal bracelets of Arthur's.  
Through the whole story, Arthur had been sitting absolute silent – looking out through the window, but now he turned his face and looked directly at him.  
Merlin bit his lip as he met the brown eyes of his own, how odd it was to be afraid of someone that looked precisely as himself.

"Why haven't you told me this before?" It was something in Arthur's voice, a kind of disappointment that Merlin hadn't expected.  
Merlin always thought that when his secret would be revealed, the prince would shout, scream and immediately throw him in the dungeons and commanding his execution – but nothing of that had yet happened.  
"In more than a year Merlin, have you kept this from me and God known how", Arthur sighted, rose from the chair and walked pass the room towards the great window.

"I really wanted to tell you, but-"  
"But you didn't trust me that much", another sight left the rosy lips of his and he shook his head. "I kind of understand how you thought, but I won't keep it a secret to you that I'm disappointed and I don't like this magic of yours."

"Are you going to tell the king?" A stroke of fear ran through Merlin's mind, he somehow believed that Arthur had taken it all well, but perhaps his duty for the kingdom was even stronger than their friendship?  
"Now? Sometime I wonder if you even have something between your ears Merlin", Arthur snorted and gave him a fast, almost teasing look before he continued looking out over the white courtyard.  
"Well, technically I'm in _your_ body right now – and how much to brain you have, I don't know", Merlin answered with a small smile on his lips, finally he could somehow relax – he had until he got back in his own body again to prove for Arthur that his magic wasn't evil.

"_Mer_lin!" Arthur stared at him from where he stood, looking as he wanted to slap the back of his head. But then, a fragile smile appeared on his lips and with a troubled wrinkle between his both eyebrows; the prince turned away and kept staring out of the window.  
"So, how do we return to our bodies?" He asked in a low voice, "Drink some more of that chocolate thing?"  
Merlin shook his head, "no, I don't think that'll work. I'll have to do a new potion, I believe."

"And how will you do that while I'm the one with the magical powers?" Arthur's voice grew more and more silent as he spoke, "I can't do this Merlin, magic isn't something I can handle. It's not like a sword practicing, not like any tournament or Latin homework – this is nothing I've ever tried to understand – all my life I've learned that magic is something bad and now, being in your body, my senses are filled with it and Merlin-"  
Arthur took a pause, leaned his head against the cool window and sighed, as if it was hard for him to complete the sentence, "- I'm scared."

For a moment the only thing that could be heard was the sound of the snow pitching the window and a crackling-sound from the fireplace.  
Merlin stared at the prince's profile with shock in his blue eyes, never did he thought that Arthur would admit something like that, never did he thought he would confess his weaknesses to _him_.  
"Arthur-", the door flew open and Gwen entered the room with a scared, almost terrified look in her eyes.  
Something had made her so upset that she even forgot to knock on the door, as a decent servant like she always did.

Arthur spun around immediately as he heard the fear in Gwen's voice.  
"Guinevere?" His eyes were filled with concern but it was Merlin who she looked at.  
"Arthur, I need your help", she grabbed Merlin's hands, squeezed them so hard that he almost grimaced by pain.  
Once again Merlin and Arthur were reminded of that they weren't in their rightful bodies. The prince groaned in despair meanwhile Merlin looked worried.

"What is it Gwen?" He asked, wondering if she might be injured or something.  
"It's the lady Morgana, her fewer won't recede and I'm worried for her health", the maidservant cried and looked so breakable that Arthur watched her with pain in his eyes – like if he could feel the same worry and fright as she did.  
"We'll go immediately", Merlin said with his new, darker voice and walked out of the room, closely followed by both Arthur and Gwen.

"Why don't you tell the king?" Arthur asked as they hurried through the corridors, "I'm sure he wants to know that his ward's health is turning worse?"  
"Well –", Gwen hesitated as she was reminded of a promise made to her friend. "She clearly said to me not to upset the king, not when the winter feast is about to begin."  
Merlin wrinkled his forehead as he could spot the lie in her voice, he didn't know if Arthur heard it to, but none of them spoke as they reached the doors of Morgana's.

"Guinevere, please fetch me some cold water from the kitchen", Merlin said to get a chance to examine the lady Morgana who was lying in her bed, burning of fever, "and try to find some of these herbs that Gaius uses – it may take a while but we'll look after her."  
The dark haired maidservant nodded and hurried away.  
"What will you do?" Arthur asked with a worried look at the girl he thought about as his own sister.  
"It's not what _I_ will do", Merlin whispered, he didn't dare to look at Arthur; "it's what _you_'ll do."

There was a moment of silent before Arthur started to laugh. It was no cheerful laughter, it almost sounded mad. Merlin understood that he was scared and tried not to lose his patience.  
"You must be joking Merlin I can't-", his voice almost sounded desperate.  
"Of course you can, I will help you through this – I know Gaius wouldn't like this, but since his not here, we need to do whatever we can to help her before it gets too late. No medicinal treatment can help her now – we have to use magic!"  
Arthur sighted and closed his eyelids; "What do you expect me to do? Mumble some magical words and dance around a fire?"  
"No, you're magical sense will enter Morgana's mind and there you'll lower her heat by using a magical charm", Merlin said as he tucked the arms of the royal shirt.

"And Morgana's life depends on it?" Arthur asked with another anxious look at the dark haired girl who had started to mumble in her sleep, sweat varnishing her face.  
"Yes, I believe it does", Merlin whispered as he lay his hand on the girls warm forehead, he was troubled of the colds intensity– magic was all that could help her now, he knew that.  
"Then I'll do it."  
Arthur looked as if he prepared for a fight when he sat down at the edge of the bed.

"Place your hands on each side of her forehead and concentrate -"  
The prince did as Merlin told him and stared at the girl in front of him with both fear and decisiveness in his eyes.  
"Now, close your eyes and try to relocate your sense – try to feel the aura of Morgana's. I believe you'll find it soft but with a strong resoluteness-"  
"Like her personality?" Arthur asked objectively, not looking at Merlin.  
"Yes, I believe so. When you sense it, you'll know what to do."  
"How do you know that?" He sounded both doubtful and scared and Merlin smiled slightly.  
"You're in my body right now, remember?" He said teasingly and the prince nodded slowly trying not to lose his concentration.

"So, how do I start?"  
"Well, imagining a mental area around you and when you can see it clearly before your eyes – try make it bigger 'til you reach Morgana. When it does, you need to take it carefully, don't lose your concentration! Soon, you'll be able to sense her and then the spell will come to you." Merlin looked at him with encouragement in his eyes. Not denying it; he was proud of Arthur.  
The raven-haired boy nodded determined and closed his eyelids.  
"Well, I begin now – I suppose"  
Merlin could actually sense it, he knew what to look for and almost saw a purple shimmer around Arthurs body as he began.  
"You're doing great, just remember; take it slowly when the aura reaches Morgana's", he reminded him and rose up from the bed; "I'll be beside you all the time."  
Minutes passed and Merlin saw how sweat appeared in the face of his own. He walked through the room towards Morgana's mirror and watched the reflection with curiosity.  
Never had he heard of someone doing a body-shift before, but perhaps he would be able to find something about it in one of Gaius's old books.

"Merlin –", it was a sort of calmness in Arthurs voice and Merlin understood that he had reached Morgana's mind, Merlin turned around and walked back to the bed.  
"Now, you must concentrate even harder – do you sense the warmth?"  
An almost invisible nod.  
"Concentrate on the cold of hers and you'll know what to say".  
Merlin sharpened his ears and realized that Arthur had much better hearing than he did. He could hear footsteps hitting the cold stone floor and rose up from the bed.  
"Merlin, I _don't_ know!" Arthur sounded panicked as Merlin hurried to the door.  
"Oh yes you do, don't lose your concentration!"  
He slightly opened the door just as Gwen appeared in front of him with water in a bucket and herbs in her arms.

"Oh Gwen, wonderful – can you do something else for us? Can you get us some food, Morgana will need something when she wakes up" He tried to smile like Arthur used to and Guinevere nodded with a warm smile.  
"How is she?" She stretched her neck so that she'd be able to see her mistress but Merlin stood in the way.  
He could hear the voice of Arthur's starting to mumble with a low, concentrated tone.  
"I believe she'll be ok as soon as you come back with something for her to eat."  
Gwen nodded, fetched him the water and the herbs and with a quick smile she run off towards the kitchen.  
Merlin sighted and closed the door as he returned to the bed where Arthur leaned against one of the bedposts, sweat varnishing his face.

"Never, _ever_, will I do something like that again", he said with a broken voice and closed his eyelids.  
The breathing of Morgana's had turned to normal and her forehead wasn't as warm as before.  
"You actually did it Arthur!" Merlin smiled, shocked but proud. "You used yours powers better than many talented magicians, believe me – not many sorcerers would have been able to do what you did."  
"_Yours_ powers you mean?" Arthur looked at him with sleepy eyes, "will she be okay?"  
Merlin nodded and a sort of relief fell over the boy's face, "good."

The lady Morgana fell in a natural, dreamless sleep and the boys left her just as Gwen entered the room with shining eyes.  
"Thank you, I don't know what you did to her, but it seemed to help", she gave them both a thankful kiss on their cheeks. Arthur blushed and smiled widely, suddenly a bit livelier.  
"It's nothing – thank Merlin", Merlin said and smiled slightly towards Arthur, "he's the real hero here. If it wasn't for his courage, I don't think the lady Morgana would have recovered so well".  
Guinevere gave Arthur a warm smile which was immediately returned.

"Well, _Mer_lin", Merlin imitated his master perfectly well with his eyebrows raised, "I think I'll return to my chambers, fetch me some food, will you?"  
Gwen closed the door behind them with a last goodbye and the real Arthur looked at Merlin as if he was dumb.  
"You wish?" He said and started to walk towards his chambers, making Merlin run to catch up with him. "Merlin, I want you to fetch me some food, wash my clothes, clean my room-"  
"Oh, but do you really think the other servants will allow me to do that? Looking as the crown prince himself?" Merlin said with an almost victorious smile on his lips.  
Arthur stopped and stared at him, realizing what he meant.

"Oh bloody hell, I keep forgetting this whole switching bodies thing", he mourned and looked like a annoyed child. "So, what do you want me to do? Sleep in _your_ bed?"  
"Oh, well –", Merlin said with a wicked smile. "If you want the servants to get wrong thoughts by seeing me sleep in your bed, then I'll guess its okay."  
Arthur smacked Merlin's head before he got a chance to duck.  
"How dumb are you Merlin?" He slightly shook his head. "Okay, I'll sleep in your bed – but then I want you to fetch me a mattress-"

He was interrupted by sir Leon who came walking towards them, as he reached them he bowed to Merlin and gave Arthur a fast, polite nod.  
"I'm sorry to disturb you milord", he said with a respectful look at Merlin. "But I have a message from the king. He wonders if you're ready to hold a speech for tonight's feast."  
Merlin's mouth popped open and he watched Arthur with something like fear in his eyes.  
Arthur smiled broadly, getting a chance for revenge.

"Oh, he'll gladly hold tonight's speech – I can assure you that", he said instead of Merlin.  
"Then I'll inform the king", sir Leon said with a nod, smiled slightly and with a final bow – he turned around and walked away.  
"Oh you must be kidding me – I can't talk in front of all those people", Merlin said with a terrifying tone in his voice, "and, look at it this way, if I mess up – they'll believe it's you who screw things up, not me."  
"Well, _Mer_lin – that risk I'm happy to take", Arthur said with an almost evil laughter, "this'll be wonderful, absolutely wonderful!"

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_Please don't forget the review - it makes my day! __  
__And as usual; if you notice some strange grammar or wrong used words; please let me know._  
_But, I also want to know what you think about this story, I really wanted to make it a bit different, so therefore I might have turned Arthur... well, a bit OC. (sorry for that)_  
_/Jenny_


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello, I hope you don't tell Uther about my laziness when it comes to writing, if that came out I believe he'd have me beheaded..  
Anyway, here is a new chapter and I hope you'll enjoy it.****  
****Oh, I always forget telling you that the characters might be a bit OC, but I think you've already noticed that.**  
**I Hope you'll like it.  
**  
_

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__The Prince and his servant - is that all we'll ever be?_

* * *

"Arthur, are you really certain of this?" Merlin asked hesitantly as he watched his reflection in the mirror. "I mean, the colure-"  
"Of course I am certain", Arthur said with a broad smile as he helped his servant get dressed. "This is an old winter feast custom and I really can't be seen abandoning the traditions, can I?"  
Merlin didn't answer as he turned his concentration towards the speech in his hands, trying to remember as much of it in his head as possible.  
He could feel butterflies tap dancing in his stomach among with a sort of illness – perhaps he wasn't feeling alright?  
Merlin thought about telling Arthur this, but as he opened his mouth to speak; a soft knock on the door was heard.

"Coming", Arthur said walking towards the door, strangely eager to actually act like a servant.  
He opened the door and sir Leon entered the room with his eyes lowered as he made a polite bow.  
"Sire-", he stopped as he saw the prince, his mouth popping open. But, remembering it was the prince he had in front of him; he closed his mouth and tried to look everywhere except on who he thought was Arthur. "Umh, a very – nice dress – my lord."

The real Arthur turned away as he tried not to laugh and Merlin sent him a killer-look, feeling more and more stupid as the time went by in an awkward silent.  
"Uh, yes – sorry", Sir Leon said, trying to remember the reason of why he was there. "The feast is about to begin and I wondered if you-"  
"Oh, of course we know of the tradition's", Arthur interrupted, trying to hold a straight face as he looked at Merlin again. "I'll make sure they'll be followed step by step".  
Sir Leon nodded shortly, bowed and leaved the room in a hurry, as if he tried not to lose his face in front of his master.

"Arthur, I really think this is a bad idea", Merlin said, for the hundred time at least, and pulled slightly in one of the pink colored sleeves. "Are you really sure-"  
"Oh come one Merlin!" Arthur sighed, giving him a tired look. "This is the least you can do trying to make up for this whole switching bodies thing."  
"So you haven't forgiven me yet?" Merlin asked with a meaning look at his outfit. "You really can't do this to me!"  
"Oh you watch me!" Arthur said, sending him an evil smile as he opened the doors to the feast hall.

Music started to play as Merlin was pushed through the doors, all eyes attached at him.  
Laughter echoed in the room as he, with blushing cheeks, danced towards the table of honor.  
The kings, knights, countesses and dukes stared him with a mix of amusement and astonishment in their eyes.  
"My honorable lords", Merlin breathed as he stood in front of the table, wishing he owned the ability to sink through the floor or turn invisible. "I _do _apologize for this."

As the royalties exchanged strange looks, Merlin jumped onto the table and suddenly started tap dancing, trying hard not to fall over the plates and goblets of the nobles.  
In the corner of his eye he could see Arthur, leaning against the wall, laughing so hard that he cried.  
With the redness deepening on his cheeks, Merlin finished his dance and pulled out a paper from one of his many colorful pockets.  
Hawking, he tried to apply for silent. After a few moments, the laughter had turned into a silent giggling and he could speak without having to shout to make himself heard.

"Dear citizens of Camelot, I _Arthur Pendragon_, welcomes you to tonight's winter feast", he said, his hands shivering. "It's my duty as crown prince of Camelot to open this feast with a dance and –"  
Merlin swallowed, didn't want to read what more was written on the paper, but a gaze from Arthur made him finish the sentence.  
"- And a song."

The people in the hall looked at him with amusement in their eyes, never seen their prince act like this. Nor heard him sing before.  
Merlin swallowed and tried to remember one of the song's of his mother, the only ones he'd really listen to.  
"With my whole heart I'll raise my song, thy wonders I'll proclaim; Thou, sovereign Judge of right and wrong, wilt put my foes to shame", Merlin started to sing, stumbling a little on his voice. "I'll sing thy majesty and grace; My God prepares his throne, to judge the world in righteousness and make his vengeance known -"

Merlin stopped, feeling a bit dizzy he sat down and made a small jump off the table. Pictures of him and his mother back in Ealdor flashed through his mind and salty tears burst up in the corner of his eyes. He really missed her, he did.  
"I'm sorry, I think I forgot how the text went", he whispered, blushing as no voice was heard in the room. Every pair of eyes were attached at him and he didn't know what to do nor say.  
"We thank you, Prince Arthur, for that – performance -", one of the kings said, smiled slightly and raised his goblet in a salute.

The whole hall started to applaud and Merlin bowed slightly, feeling his head spun.  
"Um, thank you", he whispered, making his way towards the other servants, for a moment forgetting who he looked like. Arthur shook his head and pointed helpful towards the table of honor, noticing something was wrong with him.  
Feeling dumber than ever, Merlin spun around and walked towards the table of honor; avoiding the gaze of the king as he sat down next to him.

The feast started and food was brought to the tables by the servants.  
Arthur did his best trying to make sure that no nobleman sat with their glasses empty, but he couldn't help noticing that Merlin didn't eat nor drink. Perhaps he had passed the line this time?  
For a moment Arthur forgot all about this Merlin-being-magical and felt sorry for his servant, how lonely he looked beside his father in that yellow and pink dress.  
As the dinner went on, Merlin sat in silent, his thoughts far away from Camelot's halls.  
'What if things had been different, what if' – he closed his eyelids for a moment – 'what if he and Freya had runaway, what if they could have lived together with his mother back in Ealdor.  
At this time of the year they'd have to make sure that the fire never burned out, that it always was enough of food on the table.  
There would be no stupid feasts where he'd have to sing or dance.  
Except with Freya, of course, with _her_ he would be able dance all night long.  
There, in his dreams, there was no magic, no great destiny or no Arthur.  
It was just Merlin and Freya.'

"Arthur, are you listening to me?"  
The king's voice broke the daydream of Merlin's and he turned his head slightly so that he would be able to meet the king's gaze.  
"Yes, milord?" He asked, hoping that the king wouldn't notice the tears in his eyes.  
"I wondered where you've learned tap dancing." He asked, one of his eyebrows raised of surprise.  
"Oh-", Merlin stopped, thought for a moment and tried not to laugh as he realized that tap dancing must be one of Arthur's hidden talents, as magic was one of his. "I believe it's a secret talent of mine."  
The king nodded slowly and returned to his dinner, asking no further questions.  
Merlin smiled and realized that he actually was starving as he watched the food on his plate.

Just as the dinner was about to end the doors slammed open and a hooded figure entered the room. The people in the hall curiously turned their attention towards the newcomer who must have fought the snowstorm to get here.  
King Uther rose from his throne with his face marked of surprise as he watched the hooded man walk towards the table of honor. As he stood just a few steps away from them, he turned his hooded face to Merlin and a deep sound was heard as one of his metal gloves hit the floor.

"I challenge you, Arthur Pendragon, on a combat to _death_-", it was something with his voice that sounded familiar and Merlin wrinkled his forehead, trying to remember the last time he'd heard it.  
It was something, perhaps the very nature of Arthur's, that made Merlin jump over the table and without a second thought he picked up the glove from the floor.  
"Now-", realizing what he'd just done, realizing that it was he, _Merlin_, that had accepted the combat, he started to stutter, "Now I want to see whom I'll face, and – and what we'll be fighting about."

"We'll be fighting about the love of the Lady Guinevere", the voice said as the hood were removed from the strangers face. Merlin slowly sank down onto the cold stone floor as he recognized the sharp face with the short, black hair. The only thing that wasn't as it should be was the color of the man's eyes.  
The last time Merlin had seen him, his big eyes had been brown and shining with the truthiness of a knight –now there was a sort of redness in them and Merlin could feel how the hair on the back of his neck raised, a clear sign of dark magic.  
"And my name is Lancelot."

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**Oh, I think I just ruined the whole ending with my bad English, but I hope it didn't disturbe you too much. ****  
****Well, this is the return of the **_evil_** Lancelot and I hope you'll leave a rewiev, beacuse I won't continue with this story untill I have at least **_s e v e n_** new comments from you.**  
**/Hugs JvJ**


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